Praxis Teacher Research (Rethinking Education)

Permanent URI for this collection

https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14069/36

Praxis Teacher Research was a free, peer-reviewed online journal where educators could publish action research, lesson study findings, and reports derived from longer dissertations. It was a platform which exclusively published research by teachers, for teachers.

Praxis is an ancient word, dating back to ancient Greece, which was defined by Paulo Freire as “reflection and action upon the world, in order to transform it”. The name was chosen because of commitment to support teacher research as a process of reflecting and acting on our own practice, in order to improve it it, and so to improve the life outcomes of future generations.

Praxis Teacher Research was a free service provided by Rethinking Education. When Praxis was taken offline in 2022, Camtree archived the content of the website and authors were invited to convert their work into research reports in Camtree format.

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If you published research in the Praxis Research Collection and would like to republish it here, please contact Camtree at camtree@hughes.cam.ac.uk.

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    “I like knowing how it all fits together”: Creating desirable difficulties in the Physics lab.
    (Rethinking Education and Camtree: the Cambridge Teacher Research Exchange, 2022) Bridge, Kate
    Background and purpose: To achieve in the classroom and to embed understanding students need to undergo a degree of struggle in the learning process. This paper explores changes to teaching techniques to ensure supported and appropriate levels of struggle takes place in all students in the Physics Classroom. Aims: To explore how a change of technique in planning and teaching can lead to a shift in attitude in students, encouraging them to take greater risks with their learning and lead to possibly greater achievement Study design or methodology: 50 students of mixed ability were taught a Physics topic, over a 6-week period using planning techniques that encouraged greater independence from the students. Findings: Quantitative data showed slight improvement in test-based data. Observation from colleagues and from students showed a shift in attitude toward independence and further pursuit of mastery. Greater ownership encourages students to be more self-reliant whilst learning. Implications for practice: Planning sequences of learning should be based around skills acquired rather than content. Undergoing research / deliberate practice enables teachers to refine their craft. Student independence and struggle can help students feel more confident in their learning approach.